The Bihar government today said it has identified seven lakh ineligible families enjoying benefits of subsidised ration and will cancel their ration cards.

State Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Madan Sahni made this statement in reply to a question of BJP's Sanjay Sarawgi during Question Hour in the Assembly.

The minister said the department initiates necessary action against bogus ration cards on the basis of information made available through newspapers and other sources.

Sahni said the state government was carrying the exercise of authentication of ration cards and Adhaar seeding as per the guidelines of the Centre.

So far, out of a total of 1.54 crore families having ration cards, authentication of 1.50 crore has been completed, he said.

In the course of the exercise, seven lakh fake cards possessed by families who do not qualify to get benefits of subsidised ration under the new Food Act, have been identified, he added.

Sahni said the state government has fixed a target to identify 8.71 crore beneficiaries in urban as well rural areas. Against this, the state government has already identified 8.62 crore beneficiaries.